My 2017 was filled with photographing beautiful people & beautiful newborns. And then at the end of the year came a beautiful newborn of our own, and oh how we love him. Matthias calls baby Jamie "our precious little baby" and tells him "you don't need to be worried, because I protect you." (He also jumps on top of him, pinches him, and screams in his ear, but I'm trying to remember the good stuff.)

And this has basically been our life ever since:

I didn't know how heart-swelling it would be to see your oldest baby loving your youngest baby, and to see the adoration in the littlest one's eyes as he stares at his big brother. It's just the best thing. I've had so much fun taking the last few months off and having the opportunity to photograph our family a little bit more.

But I didn't want to leave 2017 completely behind, without sharing some of my favourite images from the year. I felt tired and pregnant for so much of it, but looking back at these images made me smile and remember all the loveliness I photographed. And here is some of it.

I had such a lovely time running down forest pathways with these beautiful children in beautiful clothing designed by Teryn Francoeur. (She is no longer selling these items, because I waited a little too long to blog this session from last spring, but I love them so much that I decided to put up a few of the images anyways.) Because flower crowns. And woodland adventures.

When Anna from Mamoo Bags contacted me to do a lifestyle product shoot for their beautiful canvas tote bags, I was so excited. And I got even more excited when the bags arrived. They're absolutely beautiful, with such detailed stitching and adorable touches. I fell in love with them, and so did these kids! (And their moms.)

We spent a sunset evening on the beach, exploring as far out as the tide would go, and filling the tote bags with shells and seaglass. It was perfection.

It's a bit overwhelming to go through all my images from the past year. This is especially true when I'm limited to the rare moments my toddler is reading by himself (and yelling from his bedroom every two minutes, "I reading!"), which are quickly interrupted by his urgent potty breaks/questions about animals/requests for food. Being a mom is, of course, my most important job - and that's why my year-end photo review is coming a month into the new year.

[He just ran into my room and is testing gravity by letting his storybook fall on my keyboard. Over and over again. This is what happens: ui.iy|{!?>EWADFGK&$( This also explains why I have to mend the bindings of his books so frequently.]

2016 had some very exciting moments. I got to meet and be inspired by fellow photographers throughout the year. I had an article published in Click Magazine and several articles on different wonderful blogs. I started to focus on commercial children's work (which I LOVE). I also decided to cut back a little on work, since my little family comes first, and that was also inspiring because it gave me the chance to focus on clients that really understood and loved what I did, the real moments, the real things. And that was wonderful. I'm so grateful for all the people who chose me to capture the love and light in their lives in 2016.

I was thrilled when Wheat Canada asked me to be one of their storytellers, because this Canadian company stands for so many things I love. Their children's clothing brand is not about perfectly styled images of spotless clothing in a spotless environment, but rather about letting children live in their clothes, have fun in their clothes, get messy, run, tumble in their clothes. Their vision gave me the freedom to capture childhood as I know it really is - mud splashes and all.

Speaking as a mother, as well as a photographer, I am absolutely in love with everything Wheat makes. Their clothing is so comfortable, so well-made and designed, and basically completely adorable. I want to purchase every item on their website, in every possible size, and I very much wish I had a little girl so I could buy all the girls' clothing as well.